This invention concerns playback of audio-video data, and more particularly playback of audio-video data selected from a library of prerecorded discrete data record itsms such as video cartridges.
There has long been provided random access to a library of prerecorded audio data for playback of a selected item, i.e., the "juke box" allowed playback of any of the records stored in the machine.
This concept has been recently extended to audio-video data stored on tape cartridges, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,989 issued on March 3, 1987.
Access to data stored on discrete record items for other purposes has also heretofore been accomplished, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,679 issued on August 26, 1986, in which a mechanical retrieval device removes and transports cartridges from a stored array for playback of selective portions of prerecorded data.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,882 discloses a vending system for remotely accessible stored information, for the purpose of obtaining recordings from a central library.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,227 discloses a system for random access to an audio-video data library from a plurality of terminals in which playback is achieved by individual playback devices associated with each terminal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,013 discloses a multiple player video cassette selection system, but this system does not appear to provide for selection and display at a plurality of remote locations.
There is a need for selective access to prerecorded audio-video data from a common library in which selection and display may be at any of a plurality of remote locations. Such need is found for example in providing information and entertainment to occupants of hotels, hospitals, and the like, in which access to prerecorded video data from each room would allow this service to be rendered. That is, an occupant could select a given movie from a library for viewing; or perhaps an informational tape segment on local restaurants, events, shopping and the like.
It would be impractical to transfer data to individual players in each room as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,227 due to the time required for transfer of massive amounts of data involved, and an excessive expense would be entailed in providing and maintaining players in each room, considering that only a small fraction of their number would be in use at any given time.